


Volunteer

by LikeASwitchInHeat



Series: Flashes of Rhink [5]
Category: Rhett & Link
Genre: Cuddling Babies, Gender Roles, Hospitals, M/M, Nurturing Link, soft rhink
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-29
Updated: 2019-07-29
Packaged: 2020-07-25 13:35:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 464
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20026669
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LikeASwitchInHeat/pseuds/LikeASwitchInHeat
Summary: Link loves cuddling 🖤





	Volunteer

The smile on Link’s face as he exited the hospital and approached the car was so pure. Rhett wanted to bottle it up, and use it as a nightlight. The man was absolutely glowing.

He started the car, and Link slid into the passenger’s seat. Rhett could feel the heat in his own cheeks, absorbing the positive energy radiating from his best friend.

Between his giddy grin and the hospital’s ‘uniform’ shirt for volunteers like Link, he looked borderline childlike.

The polo shirt was royal blue with a circular patch featuring a teddy bear, and the white thread-stitched words around the border ‘VOLUNTEER CUDDLER’.

He looked so undeniably sweet, it gave Rhett butterflies. After all, he had known the child, as well as the man.

“Good day?”

Link smiled dreamily as he buckled himself in.

“It was amazing. Those babies are so dang cute.”

Rhett thought that was kind of a pot/kettle statement, but allowed Link to continue.

“It’s just so therapeutic. For them, obviously. That’s why the volunteer program exists. They need as much human contact as possible. Nurses are short-staffed, and stretched thin as it is. The parents, if the kid is lucky enough to have ‘em, they can’t be everywhere at once. Some have other kids or obligations at home preventing them from dedicating themselves 24/7 to their NICU baby. Some live far away. I feel lucky to be able to help in this way. And for me. I just…”

Link seemed lost for words, trying to describe what he got from it.

“Is it weird, Rhett? Most of the volunteers are grandparents, or retired women seeking to fill their days. I feel like people judge me for being a 40 year old man with these… really flared up parental urges… Like, like I’m some kind of creep or somethin’. I just, I can’t even describe how full my heart feels when I cuddle those little babies. It’s some kind of transcendent experience of love and comfort. There’s nothin’ else like it for me.”

Link’s smile faded, and he bit his lip awkwardly, the way he did when he felt he’d shared too much. Been a little too raw with his feelings. As if he’d taken off his coat in public, and everyone was fine with it; but then he’d proceeded to strip down to his boxers before realizing he’d gone too far and should of stopped much sooner.

Rhett gripped the steering wheel firmly. “Listen. A man having strong parental instincts is _not_ creepy. That is _bullshit_. And anything that makes you as happy as you are now, bo? That’s a beautiful thing, plain and simple.”

Link’s smile returned in full force, and he pulled Rhett over for a kiss.

“You make me that happy, you beautiful thing.”


End file.
